Retirement Administration and Investment Network (RAIN) - Frequently Asked Questions
The Wyoming Retirement System has a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers from the RAIN training sessions.
The FAQs are broken down into the following categories:
Employers can click on a link above to take them to a specific group of questions.
General questions
How can employers access the Employee Template and the Payroll Contribution Template?
Registered employer-designated administrators can download the templates from the Employer Portal. When the templates are completed, employers can upload the files to RAIN through the Employer Portal.
If an employer is uploading the Employee Template or the Payroll Contribution Template and the system goes down do they have to redownload the file and complete it again?
No. After downloading and completing the template, the employer should save the file. The employer can upload the saved file to RAIN. If there's a problem during the upload, the employer can check on the Employer Portal to see if their upload was successful or not. If not, an employer can upload the same file.
When will employees be getting information from RAIN regarding their accounts?
New Employees receive an Email invitation to activate their RAIN Account when the employer uploads their information on the Employee Template. Current employees can activate their account by entering their Social Security Number, Date of Birth and RAIN ID on the RAIN Registration page. WRS will be inviting employees who have provided email addresses to WRS to access the Participant Portal in the future.
Can the employer complete address changes for the employee?
WRS encourages members to update their addresses through RAIN's Participant Portal; however, WRS will update a member's address if the employer submits an email or other written documentation with the change.
Can employees apply for retirement on RAIN?
Yes, employees can apply for their retirement benefits though the Pension Participant Portal. However, many accounts require an audit prior to the employee being able to apply for retirement. If a retirement eligible member cannot apply through the portal, the employee should contact WRS to check the status of their account.
Does RAIN have calculators for planning purposes for employees?
An employee registered on the Participant Portal can obtain estimated benefit information; however, calculations will use the employee's current highest average salary. If, for future planning, the employee wants to calculate estimated benefits with a projected highest average salary, he or she can use the benefit calculators on WRS' public website.
Do beneficiary changes need to be notarized in RAIN?
Beneficiary changes submitted through the member portal must provide an "e-signature." If the member is married, the member’s spouse must also "e-sign." If the member isn't registered on the Participant Portal, they can download a beneficiary form from WRS’ website or contact WRS at (307) 777-7691. Paper documents will still require a notary to acknowledge signatures.
How does an employee know which plan/tier they are enrolled in?
Employees will be able to find their plan information on the Participant Portal or they can contact WRS.
How do employers get their invoices?
Employers can view recent and outstanding bills and recent and unapplied payments by clicking on the "Account" tab on the Employer Portal, then selecting Account Summary from the menu.
Who signs the RAIN Administrator Authorization of Form?
The director of a state employer, or the head of non-state participating employers, fire departments or ambulance services signs the RAIN Administrator Authorization form.
What are the different employer designations in RAIN?
WRS refers to employers as state employers, non-state employers, and fire departments and ambulance services who have volunteers participating in the Volunteer Fire and EMT Plan. A state employer is an agency whose payrolls are processed by the State Auditor’s Office.
Can employers make electronic payments through RAIN?
At this time, employers can pay bills by submitting a check or by an ACH payment.
What version of Excel does RAIN accept?
Excel version 2007 or higher works best with RAIN, however, employers can download an "add-on" from Microsoft that will enable earlier versions of MS Office (2003 and XP) to support the preferred .xlsx format. The link can be found on page 6 of the Employer Portal User Guide.
How can an employer freeze the header row in Excel?
Once the templates are downloaded, employers can freeze the top row of the template so they can see the column headers as they scroll down in their Excel document. Employers will click their mouse in the first row, go to the "View" tab and then "Freeze Panes." Employers then click on the arrow to open the options. Employers click "Freeze Top Row" and their top row will remain as they scroll down.
General payroll contribution template questions
When reporting the rehired/retiree payment, are employers submitting a separate reporting for them or are they be part of the regular monthly upload?
Rehired retirees are part of an employer's regular monthly upload. Employersidentify on the Payroll Contribution Template a rehired retiree who elects to stop receiving their benefit and start contributing again, but they report salary and contributions using the same columns as regular contributing employees. Employers report a rehired retiree who elects to continue receiving benefits in the same file; however, they report the information in different columns. In either case, a rehired retiree must first talk to a Member Benefits specialist who will advise them of their options.
Is there a form available to send in with an employer's checks?
Currently, WRS requires employers to print a copy of their billing details and submit it with their payment.
On the upload file for contributions, there’s a long name for the file. Can employers change the name before uploading it?
Once employers download the template, they may save it with any name they want. However, employers must submit the correct file when uploading it or RAIN will reject the file.
How are transitional payrolls handled?
If an employer's payroll period spans two months (i.e. the payroll covers regular hours worked in two months), the employee should have two lines on the Payroll Contribution Template. The first line, which is reported as a regular contribution, should include salary/hours/contributions at the new rate. The second line, which is reported as an adjustment, should include salary/hours/contributions at the old rate.
How do employers get the contribution template? What information is be prepopulated?
Employers can log into the Employer Portal and download the Payroll Contribution Template. RAIN will pre-populate the template with the expected pay period of the file and the Employer RAIN ID. The template will also be pre-populated with all the employees of that employer who are registered in at least one plan.
When a military member is deployed, do employers have to go in every month and update the template? Is this the same with worker’s comp?
If an employee is on an unpaid leave of absence due to military service or workers' comp, employers will place them on a service break. Employers must update the status of these employees monthly on the Payroll Contribution Template.
How can employers terminate an employee in RAIN?
Employers should use the Payroll Contribution Template to terminate employees in RAIN. The Payroll Contribution Template replaces the WRS-7 Notice of Termination form.
How can employers report contributions and adjustments to WRS?
Employers should report contributions and adjustments, along with service breaks and terminations, to WRS using the Payroll Contribution Template.
How can employers report an employee who is on an unpaid leave of absence?
Employers should report any unpaid leave of absence as a service break on the Payroll Contribution Template for each month the employee is on the leave of absence. The Payroll Contribution Template replaces the WRS-13 Leave of Absence Form.
General employee template questions
How do employees get their RAIN ID?
Employees' RAIN IDs replace their previous retirement numbers. When employers download the Payroll Contributions Template, RAIN populates it with RAIN IDs for all registered employees. Employees may also contact WRS to get their RAIN ID, and RAIN IDs are included on annual statements.
Is there a form for employees to fill out for a backup documentation? (This is concerning employee information).
WRS does not require written documentation to enroll or terminate employees. Employers may want written backup documentation for their records, but that's up to each individual employer. With RAIN, employees are registered using the Employee Template and terminated using the Payroll Contribution Template.
If employers have employees in a regular plan and a volunteer plan do they have to register them twice?
Yes, employers must register employees in each plan they participate in. The Employee Template allows employers to register an employee into multiple plans simultaneously (up to 3).
On the upload file for the Employee Template, there’s a long name for the file. Can employers change the name before uploading it?
Once employers download the template, they may save it with any name they want. However, employers must submit the correct file when uploading it or RAIN will reject the file.
How can employers register new employees in RAIN?
Employers should register new employees in RAIN using the Employee Template. RAIN will then automatically assign a RAIN ID to the new employee. The Employee Template replaces the WRS-1 new employee registration form.
When employers add a new employee to the portal, where do they add beneficiaries?
Members will add their beneficiaries. Once an employer registers an employee, RAIN will send an email to the employee asking them to register in the Participant Portal. Through the Participant Portal, employees will be able to add/change beneficiaries and update contact information. If the employee doesn't have an email address, they can download a form on WRS’ website, complete it and send to WRS’ office. If the employee doesn't designate a beneficiary, in most cases, WRS' default provisions call for paying a lump sum death benefit to the deceased member’s estate; however, some plans have different default provisions.
Volunteer Fire/EMT questions
Payroll Contribution Template:
How do service breaks apply to volunteer fire and EMT volunteers?
Employers should place a volunteer firefighter who doesn't attend the required meetings per year on a service break. Service breaks will not apply to Volunteer EMTs. Employers must include a record for each volunteer on a service break in the monthly contribution file to indicate an employee's break is continuing.
General:
Volunteer Firefighter: Does WRS have provisions for eligible volunteer firefighters to pay on their own?
A member with 10 years of service with WRS who no longer volunteers can continue to pay on his/her own but must pay through the department on a monthly basis.
State questions
General:
Where in the HRM system does the RAIN ID go?
Please direct that question to the State Auditor's Office as WRS doesn't maintain the HRM system.
What are the roles of state employers and the SAO?
The State Auditor's Office upload all contributions and adjustments to RAIN. Individual state employers are responsible for uploading new employees using the Employee Template. State employers arel also responsible for putting employees on a service break and terminating employees using the Payroll Contribution Template.
On the EICF document where employer's go in and put the retirement number under alternative ID, will that be the new RAIN ID?
The SAO will not update the EICF as it will be used in the conversion crosswalk process. If employers have questions regarding the EICF screen, they should direct them to the State Auditor's Office as WRS doesn't maintain that system.
Are employers responsible for updating the PENS screen?
No. The SAO will update the PENS screens with the new RAIN employee ID.
How can state agencies transfer an employee from one state agency to another state agency?
The agency the employee is transferring TO should include the employee on the Employee Template; the agency the employee is transferring FROM should terminate the employee on the Payroll Contribution Template. These two templates replace the WRS-6 State Agency Transfer form.
Payroll Contributions Template:
How can employers report contributions and adjustments to WRS?
The State Auditor’s Office reports contributions and adjustments to WRS using the Payroll Contribution Template. Individual state agencies do not report contributions or adjustments to WRS.
School district questions
Payroll Contribution Template:
For employees who only work nine or 10 months, do employers have to report them as being on a break during the summer?
If an employee only works nine or 10 months and is paid over nine or 10 months, employers would report them as being on a service break during the summer. If the employee only works nine or 10 months, but is paid over 12 months, employers would not report them as being on a service break because employers would be reporting contributions for them each month.
How are teachers’ hours reported and how are service credits handled during the summer?
On Jan. 5, 2010, WRS sent a letter to each employer with instructions on how to report hours. Employers can view this letter on WRS' website.